Ford News - Nancy Gioia discusses hybrids, plug-ins and battery leases

November 30, 2008 by tsikot

Nancy Gioia discusses hybrids, plug-ins and battery leases

Filed under: EV/Plug-in, Hybrid, Ford, LA Auto Show

Following the reveal of the Ford Fusion Hybrid at the Los Angeles Auto show last week, Ford’s director of sustainable mobility technology Nancy Gioia spoke with Green Fuels Forecast about a number of topics. Top of the list, of course, was the new hybrid sedan and the fact that Ford has decided not to make its hybrids more visually distinct from conventional cars. The Fusion is just the latest of Ford’s hybrid programs, but the most advanced is the plug-in hybrid Escape that Ford is testing with Southern California Edison. That program is apparently going very well and in fact Ford will be announcing soon that several more electric utilities are joining the test program. So far the Escape PHEV is averaging 120 mpg running in charge-depleting mode and 70 mpg overall. Gioia also discussed battery exchange programs. She told GFF that while battery technology is still changing so quickly, such systems may not prove to be technically viable. Check out all of what Gioia had to say at Green Fuels Forecast.

Gallery: 2010 Ford Fusion hybrid on the stand